Established in 1962 at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a service-retained force, which means that while it will provide units in support of operations overseen by joint combatant commands (CENTCOM, EUCOM, etc.), it is not assigned to those commands. As an Air-Ground Task Force, the II MEF consists of the three principal elements—ground, air, and logistics—necessary to deliver offensive combat power ashore while simultaneously sustaining itself, without any assistance, for up to 60 days.
Ground combat capabilities are handled by the four regiments of the 2nd Marine Division, augmented by five support battalions (Tank, Recon, Light Armored Recon, Combat Engineer, and Assault Amphibian). Five Marine Aircraft Groups comprise the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, while three Logistics Regiments (including an HQ) along with three support battalions (Medical, Dental, and Engineer Support) make up the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
The standard patch is rendered in red, gold, and black with the famed Marine Corps’ Eagle, Globe, and Anchor in the middle; the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) version features the same imagery but in gold and black.
Related Items
II Marine Expeditionary Force Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)